A downcast Pakistan are pinning their hopes on defeating a reshuffled India in Sunday's inconsequential final one-dayer to gather momentum before the Test series starting next week. "If their regular combination doesn't play we will definitely get some psychological advantage," Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul Haq told reporters on Saturday.
"We hope we can win this match before the Test series and take some confidence into it." India have already clinched the series, having taken an unassailable 3-1 lead after winning the fourth game at Gwalior on Thursday by six wickets. India team manager Lalchand Rajput said frontline pacemen Zaheer Khan and Rudra Pratap Singh and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh would sit out the day-nighter (0900 GMT start).
The hosts could also leave out one of their leading batsmen to give youngster Rohit Sharma his first match in the series. Pakistan have continued to struggle since arriving in India after losing the Test and one-day series against South Africa. They lost the Twenty20 World Cup final to India in September.
"When you lose two-three series it does affect the players and the pressure builds on the team," Misbah said. "We're trying to win and that is the only way we can change things." Misbah, 33, himself has failed to convert starts and finish games despite being handed a regular place in the XI since the retirement of batsman Inzamam-ul Haq. His best so far in the series has been 49. He is in the squad for the three-Test series starting in New Delhi on Thursday.
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